Bonus Blog!

Today, I'm giving you 2 blogs. I'll be away this weekend and won't have time to give you a recipe tomorrow so, I figured I'd give it to you today. This recipe is sooooo easy and fast. Being Italian, it is almost taboo to use jarred pasta sauce but, in my real world I don't make homeade sauce every week and a good jarred sauce is a life saver when you're in a hurry. I said all that to say...this recipe calls for jarred sauce. I use Newman's Own which happens to be my favorite, and Wal-Mart sells it for a good price. With a few extra ingredients, this soup takes almost no time to prepare. Perfect for the nights you need to jet out the door, or don't feel like taking an hour to make dinner. Coupled with homeade bread or store bought :) this meal is great!

Easy Minestrone Soup

1 C. chopped onion

3 cloves sliced garlic

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

3 1/2 C. good chicken or vegetable stock (broth)

1 jar (16oz) good marinara sauce

1 can (15oz.) rinsed and drained red kidney beans or cannelini beans

3 ribs sliced celery

10 oz. frozen mixed vegetables

1 C. whole wheat elbow macaroni or other small shape pasta

In a large nonstick pot, cook 1 Cup chopped onion and garlic in the olive oil for 3 minutes over medium high heat. Add the chicken or vegetable broth, marinara sauce, beans, celery, and mixed vegetables. Bring to a boil and add the 1 Cup of pasta. Cook, covered, with lid slightly ajar, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve right away with grated parmesan cheese, if you'd like.

Very Delicious!